UMY distributes aid and mobilises students to assist NTT earthquake victims

Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) has moved quickly to distribute aid and mobilise its Community Service Programme (KKN) students to assist residents affected by the earthquake in West Manggarai and East Manggarai Regencies, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). In addition to disbursing initial aid of Rp10 million for each KKN location, all UMY KKN students in the affected areas have been confirmed safe and are actively involved in emergency response efforts on the ground.

“Alhamdulillah, all UMY KKN students are safe. We continue to communicate with the team on the ground to monitor the condition of both students and residents at the affected KKN locations,” said UMY Vice Rector for Resources, Prof Dyah Mutiarin, in Yogyakarta on Sunday.

Dyah explained that the initial aid funds were used to purchase logistical supplies directly from local shops that still had stock. This approach was taken so that urgent needs could be met quickly without waiting for supplies from outside the region, while also helping to sustain local economic activity after the disaster.

To strengthen the response on the ground, UMY has also prepared 100 family kit packages and 20 shelter tents. This follow-up assistance is scheduled to be dispatched on Monday (17/8) through the Muhammadiyah Regional Leadership (PDM) of West Manggarai and PDM of East Manggarai to accelerate distribution.

“The emergency response actions carried out by students include setting up and arranging emergency tents, managing public kitchens, distributing ready-to-eat meals, recording residents’ logistical needs, providing clean water, delivering first aid, and offering special assistance for vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly,” she said.

Separately, UMY Rector Prof Achmad Nurmandi said that the university, through LazisMu UMY, continues to coordinate in a structured manner with LazisMu Central and the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Centre (MDMC).

“Coordination is carried out so that the process of mapping needs, collecting aid, and distributing it runs in an integrated manner with Muhammadiyah’s disaster management mechanisms and is well targeted,” said Nurmandi.

He added that LazisMu UMY has also officially opened a donation drive to expand humanitarian support for communities affected by the earthquake in NTT as the situation on the ground develops.